all go

Another of those days which just fly by!

First there was the school. The primary school. Except this time they came here. All of them. (And there's a whole load more of them than are there in the picture, of course!)

So there was loads to do in getting the place all ready. Setting up the microphones, checking out the systems, getting the powerpoints running. That sort of thing.

Then the Head arrived. With a memory stick with stacks of different photos to be shown as a loop on the wall.

No problem. Except they use Apple Macs at the school. And we don't. So I had to download some programmes to convert the stuff, and that took a bit of time. But eventually (just in time) it was 'good to go'.

The children were great as always.

As I say, the whole school were there today and every single year had something to do or say or sing. All with different backing tracks and all with different visuals, and all with different microphones to use.

So I spent my time running back and forth from the front where I did my 'compering' to the back where I handled the technical stuff.

Thankfully Gill, the new girl who works with SU - she'd asked if she could come along as well. Which was great as she helped out with the technical stuff as well and pressed the right buttons at all the right times and kept the whole thing going.

Probably not what she'd expected when she asked to come along! But hey, following Jesus is always the stuff of adventure!

The Head and the deputy head were both in for a cup of coffee afterwards. And Gill came too.

They were no sooner gone than another two folk in succession were in to see me as well. By arrangement, I should add.

But any sort of breathing space was pretty much at a premium today.

Because after I'd seen the second of these two folk, it was off in a rush to Kirkliston. I was already running late.

Lunch out there with the lady who's soon to start as minister there. A lot of things to work through with her in terms of the arrangements.

I know the lady who runs the place (where we had lunch, I mean). It was her young son (young in the sense that he was 20) who'd died so very tragically back in August of last year.

So I'm always glad of the chance to touch base with her and her family. Her daughter popped in as well, which was really nice. I'd thought it would be good for them to have the chance to meet and get to know a bit the minister that they'll shortly have.

She came over and chatted for quite a bit. Sometimes there's just a very real sense of the Lord being very present. That was one of those times.

I then had a meeting arranged with other folk from Kirkliston in relation to the different practicalities there are in relation to the service when the new minister finally starts.

So it worked out really as the bulk of the afternoon (and a lovely one it was) out in Kirkliston.

I've fixed up for some of the folk to come and share at one one of our evening services a bit of all that the Lord has been doing. That should be good. For them and for us.

By the time I got back here it was a case of doing some catch-up. E-mails to be written (or started at least) and a whole load of admin stuff to be done, since I knew I was to be out and fairly tied up through the evening.

And another day goes by!

Although I sometimes end up sort of thinking - what did I actually do? - a day like today is hardly unproductive.

One of the teachers at school who'd been at the service this morning e-mailed later on -

Thank you to you and all at the Church for your terrific help this morning with the technology and in general.

It's often the little mundane and routine things that people really notice.

Getting things right and making things work - I suppose that conveys the practical thrust of what the good news is about!